


Thumbelina?

by KouRei (ShinkengerRedBlue)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 15:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6289441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinkengerRedBlue/pseuds/KouRei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Nathaniel leaves his sketchbook behind in the auditorium and goes back for it, he gets the surprise of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thumbelina?

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to @sweenyalice on Tumblr. Some of you may notice that this is completely different than what it was before. I had planned to make a long fic about Marinette and Nathaniel learning to become their characters but I lost motivation and I watched Thumbelina again and this idea changed completely. Sorry to those who were waiting to see me update but maybe when the second season of Miraculous Ladybug airs, I'll have the motivation to write the version that I had originally planned. All lyrics belong to the movie Thumbelina, I just used them to make a beautiful fic.

It wasn't often that Nathaniel forgot his art supplies, especially when the whole classroom was working on throwing a play about the story Thumbelina and he was designing the background and anything creative except for outfits since Marinette was really good at making costumes. He sighed, rushing into the auditorium where he had left his sketchbook with the new ideas for a forest backdrop. He dropped to his knees, pulling his phone out of his pocket for light, smiling in relief when he saw the innocent book peeking out at him. He reached out for it when the lights suddenly came on, shining brightly towards the stage.

Nathaniel frowned and turned off his phone, rising his head to see Marinette on stage. What was she doing here? Chloe had ranted through practice that as Thumbelina, she needed to most perfect costume and Nathaniel knew that Marinette liked to work when she didn't have anybody watching her, so why wasn't she at home? His question was answered when Marinette pulled out her own phone, playing a section of the play. It was the scene where Thumbelina had to sing for Mr. Mole, where she imagined that Cornelius was still alive and there with her. The song for the scene was supposed to be sad, longing and although Chloe had a decent song, she didn't fit the mood. If Nathaniel had to choose someone to play Thumbelina, his thoughts went to Marinette. Her voice, her personality, her emotions, she simply fit the image Nathaniel had for Thumbelina.

He watched as Marinette danced on stage, getting the feeling of the song before replaying it, this time intent of singing.

“Once there was the sun, bright and warm and wonderful.”

Marinette's arms went up into the air, motioning to the sky as if the sun was there as she described it. Her body showed how warm the sun could be, inviting anyone watching to feel the same.

“Shining like the love within my heart.”

Her voice was lovely, like an angel graced Nathaniel's ears. She sounded happy, full of love and warmth. Her hands came to chest and rested over her heart, her head tilting to the side. She stopped singing and let the violins shine, pretending like she had someone there with her, her Cornelius. They danced, shared glances of love and Marinette sat on a lonely chair as the music turned sad and Cornelius suddenly left her.

“Now there's no more sun. Winter has killed everything and although it's dark December forever, I'll remember sun.”

Her hands hugged her chest as she leaned over and looked like she was heartbroken. The music ended and Nathaniel held back his claps. He didn't want her to know that he had seen her but oh how her performance was wonderful. Chloe would never be able to show that kind of side to her unless someone broke her soul with something sad.

Nathaniel wished that he could be Marinette's Cornelius but he wasn't brave like the one cast for the part. Sure Adrien was a nice guy but he wondered if playing Cornelius was too easy for Adrien, as if risking his life and saving someone was a normal day for him. It made Cornelius as a character lack luster and he wondered if anybody else noticed. He briefly wondered if Marinette still liked Adrien, if her actions these days said anything, it was that she wasn't interested. He wondered why. He would have thought that Alya would have noticed but she was busy trying to keep Chloe from taking over the play. Marinette seemed the type to like someone and get attached quickly. Nathaniel bitterly admitted that he had been jealous of Adrien but at the same time he had hope. Marinette didn't seem to blush at Adrien's every word or faint whenever he looked at him. Now all she did was give him friendly smiles and she was able to keep a calm conversation with him.

Nathaniel waited until Marinette left before getting up and doing the same, her performance haunting his mind. His hand twitched with new ideas to draw, with Marinette at the center of them. Maybe he could secretly convince Alya to cast Marinette as Thumbelina. He glanced back at the stage, wishing he had recorded Marinette but what was done was done and all he had were his precious memories. When he got back home, Nathaniel went straight to work. He drew Marinette is a beautiful blue gown, sparkling silver. He drew her looking up at a sun that was slowly disappearing behind some clouds, her hair blowing in the wind. Her eyes, even though dry, spoke volumes. Sadness, fear, loneliness and yet, held hope in them. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest, as if she was praying. Marinette was standing on top of a hill overlooking a pond that was icing over.

It was his best work in a while and he knew he could photocopy it and slip it in with the designs for Thumbelina, knowing Alya would keep it secret and yet be inspired to make Thumbelina. He sighed at how beautiful Marinette was before making a picture that matched it, this time using himself. He drew himself as the sun that Marinette was longing and hoping for. He covered himself in white and gold, his hair in a ponytail and his hands stretched out, waiting for someone to jump into his arms. His body was kneeling on a cloud, looking down but unable to see anything. His eyes were inviting and full of love for the women who was waiting for him to come. Nathaniel bit his lip at how intimate this piece became for him, showing a side of himself he desperately wanted to come true. On the bottom of each picture, Nathaniel wrote the lyrics of the song. On his picture would be the beginning portion while Marinette's would be the second. He was the sun and she would be the one remembering him.

 


End file.
